Automobile antenna



June 2, 1942. A. T. MACE AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA Filed Aug. 3, 1959 l 2Sheets-sheet 1 INVENTO.. APrHug-TMACE t ATTORNEY.

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June 2, l1942.

A. -T. MACE AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1939 .Mlg.

Z Y Z NIMINI ATTORNEYS? Patented June 2, 1942 I f AUroMonmaANraNNA iArum 'i'. Mace, aesrclevelsnd, ome, assigner a corporation of OhioApplication August 3, 1939, Serial No. 288,159

` (criss-2s) 8 Claims.

Thxs'iivention relates, es indicated, te temine` radio4 antennae, buthas reference more speciii` cally to' radiol antennae which are capableof beextendedfrom. the interiorof the vehicle `in `which it is Vused inconjunction with vehicle radio sets.

The conventional type of extending or telescoping antennae are extended,or 4telescoped from theexterior of the vehicle. -This results ininconvenience caused by' the necessity of getting in and out of thevehicle to extend-or collapse i the antennae. Also, due to thelimitation of the human reach, theextenty of projection oi the antennaeabove the top of the vehiclewas restricted. An antenna which iscollapsible and extensible lfrom the interior of the vehicle elimlinates this restriction and inconvenience, and moreover, has theadvantage that it. may be collapsedto clear obstructionssuch as Igaragedoor openings and the like.

The primary object of the` invention ish'to .provide a radio antenna ofthe typedescribed which is `quickly and easily collapsible andextensible from the interior 'of the vehicle 'on which it is used.

Another object of the invention is to provide ya radio antenna oftheltype described which is economical to manufacture and simple inoperation.

A further object of the invention is to provide Aan antenna of the typedescribed which is resilientlyretained in any desired degree vofextension and in which efficient electrical connection `between thevarious parts thereof is constantly maintained.

vTo the accomplishment of the foregoing and yrelated ends, saidinvention, then, consists ofthe Vmeans hereinafter fully described andparticutenna embodying the` invention mounted thereon;

Fig.2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of an antennaembodying this invention in' collapsed condition; l

Fig. 3 is a View. similar to Fig, the antenna partially extended;

Fig. 4 is a view similar lto Fig. 3', but'showing the antenna in thenext step of extension:

Fig. 5 is kan enlarged -cross-sectionai view of the open position ofthecollet device used in thisinvention;

Fuz. 5a is a section on lineaa of Fig. 5.

The Radiart Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio,

Fig. 6 Vis a view similar to Fig. 5 but with thel collet in lockedposition;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the antenna fullyextended:

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing amodification of the collet device shown in Figs. 5 and 6; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged view of Fig..2.

Referring more particularly `to the drawings, there is illustrated aportion of an automobile having ahood I, dashboard 2, windshield l andtop I.

A lead-in member 5, which comprises the base of the Yantenna is attachedat one end by any lsuitable means to the dashboard 2 and at its otherend supports by a metal to metal contact.

the innermost tubular metallic member 6 of the antenna which is slightlypeened over at its upper end to provide an inwardly extending retaininglower end of which is attached as by threads 9 downwardly into thewasher I0. being provided with a head I8a which is movable in the recessthrough the insulator 2| which is secured in the front of the top of thevehicle and constitutes Suitabli'v l2, but showing flange 1. Snuglyiitting around tube 6, and projecting thereabove is metallic tubular`member 8, the

lof reduced diameter and is split longitudinally to provide a pluralityof collet jaws i3, the purpose of which will presently appear.

, Snugly tted around tube 8 is a third metallic tubular member I4, theupper end .of which con-` stitutes a collet I5. The lower end of tube I4is attached as by threads I6 to 'a washer-like member I'l which has acurved outer end. A

pin I8 is secured to the ywasher Il and projects- I2 of the latter.Surrounding pin I8 isa coil spring I9 which normally urges the washersI0' and Ilapart.

Snugly fitting around tube I4 is the outermost metallic tubular member20" which snugly passes the second support for the antenna. attached tothe lower end of the tube 20 is a finger'knob 22. The upper end of thetube 20 is `reduced in diameter to form neck 23, which snugly iitsaround and guides the wire 24 which lforms the uppermost portion of theantenna.

Wire 24` passes through collet l5, collet jaws I3,

projects into the innermost tube 6 and has-ay looped lower endy 25 whichbears against the inner walls of tube `Ii and which is capable' ofOperation `Assuming-the antennaembodying the invenl the wire 24 in thecollet jaws I3, as shown in Fig.

6, so that if, while so locked, the tubes`8 and I4 are elevated to theposition shown in Fig. 7, the

wire 24 is forced or pushed up through neck 23 and loop 25 passesthrough the flange 1 of the stationary tube 6.

To collapse the antenna from the interior of the vehicle the collet, asshown in Figs. 6 andI '7, is locked, while tubes 8 and I I are lowered,caus7 ing the antenna to be contracted to the condition shown in Fig. 4.With the collet opened, the tubes 8 and Il are raised as in Fig. 3, thecollet then locked and the three tubes 8, I4 and 20 lowered, eecting theoriginal collapsed arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2. v

A construction alternative to the collet arrangement shown particularlyin Figs. 5, -5a and 6 is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein the tube 8corresponds to tube 8 in the prior figures and has immediately below itsupper end a plurality of holes 21 and 28 which accommodate steel balls29 which encircle tube 8*. tube 8* is tube Il, the upper end of which isbulged as at 30 to house the balls 29. Surrounding tube Il'L is tube 20,which snugly fits around bulge 30 and whose upper portion is reduced `inSnugly fitted around through said open ends. jaws on one and a collet onthe other of said inner tubes whereby said element may be locked by saidjaws and moved with respect to said outer tube.

3. A device of the character described com- Y prising an outer and twoinner nestedtubes', each "spect to said outer tube.

4. The combination of a* tube both ends of which are open, an elongateelement projecting into one of said ends, movable means projecting intothe other of said ends and presenting elastic jaws adapted forclampingly engaging. and disengaging said elements, an annular movablemeans to compress said elastic jaws whereby movement of saidmst-mentioned means moves diameter to form a neck SI similar to neck23-of 1 In the alternative construction shown in Fig. 8 by lowering tubeIl* with respect to tube 8, the bulge 80 forces the balls 29 against thewire 24 thereby locking said wire as eectively as with lapsing can thecollet construction which has been described. Since each tubeconstitutes a snug tit over its adjacent tube, loop 25 bears against theinner walls of tube 8, and-neck 23 snugly fits around wire 24, anemcient electrical contact is constantly maintained and the antenna isresiliently retained in any desired degree of expansion andisrattle-proof. .It is to be oted that the expansion and colquicklyaccomplished entirely from the interior of the vehicle with but aminimum of eiort and by the use of but one hand.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one `'explained,f--change being made as regards the'vmediate tubes forming collet jaws and said end said element relativelyto saidtube.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tubehaving two openings, an

elongate element projecting into one of said' openings, means includinga pair of movable elongate members projecting into the other of saidopenings, said elongate members having their ends formed to clampinglyengage and rel lease each other when moved relatively to each otherthereby clamping and unclarping said element, and means Afor urging saidelongate members into unclamping position.

6. In a device of the characte" described, the combination of fourindependently movable tubes each having one end open, an elementprojecting into said open ends, means for moving the three outer tubesand said element relatively to the innermost tube, and means within theoutermost tube responsive rto relative movement of the in-v termediarytubes for gripping said element whereby' movement of the intermediarytubesy relatively to the outermost tube moves said ele4 ment relativelyto said outermost tube.

7. In a device of the character described, the

combination of independently movableI nested tubes the innermost tube ofwhich is adapted to be stationarily mounted, there being three tubessurrounding lsaid innermost tube, all of said tubes having one end open,the two inner of said three tubes projecting beyond the outer of saidthree tubes, a movable element projectinginto said open ends, said twoinner tubes having at their open ends members to clampingly engage eachother for gripping said element and for moving it relatively to saidouter tube,.and means for moving said three tubes and said elementrelatively to said innermost tube.

8. A device of the characterlv describedcomprising a tube both ends ofwhich are open, an elongate element yprojecting into said tube throughone of the said open ends, a pair of movable elongate members'projectinginto said tube through the other of said openings, 'jaws within saidtube on one of said members adapted for engaging said element and meanswithin said of the other of said intermediate tubes forming acomplementary -collet whereby said element may be locked by said jawsandmoved with respect to said outer tube.

2. A device of the character described comprising an outer and two innernested tubes, each having one end open, an element projecting tube onthe other of said members adapted for v actuating said jaws wherebyrelative movement of said members causes said jaws to clamp said elementand joint movement of said members4 relatively to said tube moves saidelement relatively to said tube. a .y

AR'IHUR-T. MACE.

